Press release

April 23, 2021

DSGC in letter to informateur: 

Integrate UN development goals into government policy

"Integrate the 17 United Nations development goals into government policy." Eight large Dutch companies, united in the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition, make this appeal to informateur Tjeenk Willink. “The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) must be anchored in the policies of all ministries,” explains DSGC chairman Jan Peter Balkenende. “Partly thanks to the efforts of the Netherlands, the SDGs have been established. Now we have to take the lead internationally in achieving them in 2030. This will create broad prosperity.”

After the outbreak of the Corona crisis at the beginning of last year, cooperation between government, business (from multinationals to small businesses) and knowledge institutions has been intensified. Therefore, results with a high impact were achieved more quickly than normal. Think of the production of respiratory equipment, vaccines and mouth masks, but also of services such as an airlift for medical devices. The collaboration was characterized by great trust. The DSGC calls on the new cabinet to continue this collaboration in the interest of our common goals: the SDGs.

In the letter, the DSGC zooms in on a future perspective for the Netherlands based on the SDGs, in which climate neutrality, circular economy and a thriving living environment are central. For example, DSGC advocates a care and welfare system, in which the government and the business community make efforts to shift from curative to preventive care. This with a focus on healthy living patterns (eating and exercise) and remote digital care.
With regard to the climate, the DSGC is making an urgent appeal to the new cabinet to implement the plans of the Climate Agreement and the European Green Deal.

The Netherlands has the social responsibility, as well as the expertise and companies in-house to play a role in making developing economies more sustainable. This role is reflected in a competitive Dutch business and investment climate. The Netherlands can be promoted internationally as "Dutch Sustainable Growth Valley". The good experiences and sustainable solutions of the DSGC members can serve as an example.

The Netherlands must make efforts at European level for the SDGs. The EU Green Deal, including the New Circular Economy Action Plan, must be anchored in policy and national recovery plans. An unambiguous and stable (inter) national policy is needed, as well as financing mechanisms that enable the upscaling of promising technologies. This gives the business community the certainty to continue to invest in sustainable solutions.

See here the letter to the informateur